Electrical conductor connectors with pre-placed solder



June 20, 1967 A. P. FATTOR 3,326,442

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR CONNECTORS WITH FEE-PLACED SOLDER Filed May 6, 1965/3 T- zsagg W 5' 5 F i-g- 1 J 1 Z 5 /7 f3 f ff fig rs '22 Z? pz4sr/cUnited States Patent 3,326,442 ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR CONNECTORS WITHPRE-PLACED SOLDER Arthur P. Fattor, Denver, Colo.

(5380 S. Holly St, Littleton, Colo. 80120) Filed May 6, 1965, Ser. No.453,721 3 Claims. (Cl. 228-56) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plastic,elongated, cup-like container into the open end of which a plurality ofwires are inserted into a U- shaped spring member containing solder soas to force the spring member forwardly through disruptable diaphragmsto release exothermic reagents which intermix to generate sufiicientheat to melt said solder.

This invention relates to means for connecting two or more electricalconductor wires electrically and mechanically together.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a small, economical,and easily used connector device which can be slipped over theextremities of two or more wires and which will automatically, quicklyand securely solder the wire extremities together without the necessityfor applying outside heat, such as a flame, soldering iron or torch, tothe connector device or the wires therein.

A further object is to provide a connector device of the above typewhich will shrink to tightly contain all of the elements therein andwhich will electrically insulate the connected wire extremities againstexternal electrical contacts.

A still further object is to provide a self-locking, mechanical wireconnecting device which will securely and safely maintain the wires inelectrical contact should no solder be used.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efiiciency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference ismade to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Likenumerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughoutthe description.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side View, approximately natural size, illustrating aconnection formed by the use of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the connection of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a greatly magnified longitudinal, medial, section through theconnector device as it would appear when ready to receive the wireterminals to be connected;

FIG. 4 is a similarly enlarged longitudinal section as it would appearafter the wire terminals have been forced therein;

FIG. 5 is a rear end view taken on the line 5-5, FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the completed connectiontaken on the line 66, FIG. 1.

For the purposes of description, two electrical conductor wires havebeen illustrated on the drawing at 10 and 11 with their conventionalinsulation at 12.

The improved connector device employs a plastic casing 13, preferably ofgreater width than height so that the two conductor wires may beinserted side-by-side. The rear portion of the casing 13 is enlarged andprovided, at the top and bottom, with internal ratchet notches 14. Theforward extremity of the casing is closed, as indicated at 15, and therear extremity is preferably cut on a diagonal, as indicated at 16, tofacilitate the placement and insertion of the wires. The casing 13 ispreferably formed of a shrinkable, thermally-stabilized, plastic, suchas modified polyolefin, which when subjected to heat will shrink tightlyabout the extremities of the wires 10 and 11.

A U-shaped metallic spring member 17, is positioned in the enlargedportion of the casing 13. The spring member is formed with a bighthaving a relatively sharp leading edge 18, which is directed toward theclosed extremity 15, and with normally flared, rearwardly extendingsides. The rear extremities of the sides are bent inwardly toward eachother, to form inwardly extending wire-locking ridges 19, thenceoutwardly to form outwardly and rearwardly extending ratchet tips 20.The tips 20 flare outwardly from each other and resiliently ride overthe ratchet notches 14 when the spring member is forced forwardly.Internal retaining ridges 21 are formed in the casing 13 to be engagedby the ratchet tips 20 to prevent accidental loss of the spring member17.

A meltable solder cup 22, formed of readily meltable solder, such as Sn63, is positioned between the two sides of the spring member 17 with itsopen extremity directed rearwardly to receive the extremities of theWires 10 and 11. The solder cup 22 is lined with a layer of suitablesoldering fiux 23, such as non-corrosive activated rosin.

A first pierceable membrane 24, seals the interior of the reduceddiameter portion of the casing immediately ahead of the sharp bight edge18 of the spring member 17. A second similar membrane 25 seals thecasing forwardly of, and in spaced relation to, the membrane 24 to forma first reagent chamber 26. A third similar membrane 27 seals the casingforwardly of, and in spaced relation to, the second membrane 25 to forma second reagent chamber 28. A shoulder or stop ridge 29 in the easinglimits forward movement of the third membrane 27 to maintain an openinteraction chamber 30 as the forward extremity of the casing.

The chambers 26 and 28 are for the retention of suitableexothermic-reacting chemicals or reagents which, when intermixed, willproduce a temperature sufiicient to melt the solder cup 22. Forinstance, the chamber 26 may be filled with liquid or granulatedpolyester resin and the chamber 28 filled with benzoyl peroxide whichupon mixing will produce a polymerisation reaction, or pulverized sodiummetal or phosphorous pentachloride may be placed in chamber 26 and waterin chamber 28 to produce, when intermixed, a heat of solution reaction.Other exothermic reaction components will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art and are Within the scope of this invention.

The use of the connector device of this invention is extremely simple.The insulation is cleaned from the extremities of the wires and thelatter are laid against the diagonal rear extremity of the casing andforced therein. The forward movement of the wires forces the solder cupand the spring member 17 forwardly with the ratchet tips 20 clickingover the ratchet notches 14 and with the wire locking ridges 19 closingtightly against the wires. The forward movement of the spring elementcauses the relatively sharp leading edge 18 thereof to pierce themembranes 24, 25 and 27 in succession to force and intermix the reactivecomponents from the reagent chambers 26 and in the interaction chamber30 as shown in FIG. 4. The intermixture produces sufficient heat to fusethe flux 23 and melt the solder cup 22 in intimate engagement with thewires to produce a secure and eflicient electrical connectiontherebetween. The heat also serves to suffi ciently heat the shrinkable,thermally-stabilized plastic material of the casing causing the latterto shrink tightly about the entire assembly to secure and insulate thelatter in place as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.

It will be noted that the connector will become mechanically attached tothe wires by the grip of the spring element so that it Will retainitself in place during the soldering reaction and need not be handsupported.

While a specific form of the invention has been described andillustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be variedwithin the scope of the appended claims, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. A connector for connecting the extremities of a plurality of wirestogether comprising:

(a) an elongated, tubular plastic container having a closed and an openextremity;

(b) a U-shaped, normally flaring spring member within said containerwith its bight directed toward the closed extremity of said containerand its sides directed toward the open extremity thereof to receive theextremities of wires inserted through said open extremity and to beforced forwardly in said container by said Wires;

(c) means for closing the sides of said U-shaped spring member intogripping engagement with said wires as said spring member is forcedforwardly in said container;

(d) means for retaining said spring member and the gripped wires in saidcontainer at the termination of the forward movement of the springmember;

(6) a meltable solder cup contained between the sides of said springmember with its open end directed toward the open extremity of saidcontainer to receive the wires;.and

(f) self-contained heating means in said container positioned forwardlyof said spring member so as to be actuated in consequence of the forwardmovement of the spring member to generate heat sufiicient to melt saidsolder cup. 7

2. A connector as described in claim 1 in which the self-containedheating means comprises exothermic reactive elements which areintermixed by the spring member as it is moved forwardly so as togenerate heat sufficient to melt said solder cup.

3. A connector as described in claim 2 having disruptable diaphragmsextending transversally of said container forwardly of said springmember, said diaphragms sealing and separating said reagents untildisrupted by the forward movement of said spring member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,122,252 6/1938 Hayes 174872,534,881 12/1950 Schroeder 17487 X 2,715,714 8/1955 Paylinetz 3392l32,831,446 4/1958 Schwartz 228-56 LEWIS H. MYERS, Primary Examiner.

D. L. CLAY, Examiner.

1. A CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING THE EXTREMITIES OF A PLURALITY OF WIRESTOGETHER COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED, TUBULAR PLASTIC CONTAINER HAVINGA CLOSED AND AN OPEN EXTREMITY; (B) A U-SHAPED, NORMALLY FLARING SPRINGMEMBER WITHIN SAID CONTAINER WITH ITS BIGHT DIRECTED TOWARD THE CLOSEDEXTREMITY OF SAID CONTAINER AND ITS SIDES DIRECTED TOWARD THE OPENEXTREMITY THEREOF TO RECEIVE THE EXTREMITIES OF WIRES INSERTED THROUGHSAID OPEN EXTREMITY AND TO BE FORCED FORWARDLY IN SAID CONTAINER BY SAIDWIRES; (C) MEANS FOR CLOSING THE SIDES OF SAID U-SHAPED SPRING MEMBERINTO GRIPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID WIRES AS SAID SPRING MEMBER IS FORCEDFORWARDLY IN SAID CONTAINER; (D) MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID SPRING MEMBERAND THE GRIPPED WIRES IN SAID CONTAINER AT THE TERMINATION OF THEFORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SPRING MEMBER; (E) A MELTABLE SOLDER CUPCONTAINED BETWEEN THE SIDES OF SAID SPRING MEMBER WITH ITS OPEN ENDDIRECTED TOWARD THE OPEN EXTREMITY OF SAID CONTAINER TO RECEIVE THEWIRES; AND (F) SELF-CONTAINED HEATING MEANS IN SAID CONTAINER POSITIONEDFORWARDLY OF SAID SPRING MEMBER SO AS TO BE ACTUATED IN CONSEQUENCE OFTHE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SPRING MEMBER TO GENERATE HEAT SUFFICIENT TOMELT SAID SOLDER CUP.